Table construction



Filed Sept. 17. 1928 INVENTOR cf. 5. Wood BY 6 ATT RNEw Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH E. WOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO JOHN P. MELLIS,

1 OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TABLE CONSTRUCTION Application filed September 17, 1928. Serial I Q'o 306,457.

My invention relates to improvements in table constructions, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

6 An object of my invention is to provide a table construction having a concealed compartment arranged to receive and contain playing cards, score paper, pencils, and other matters used when playing cards.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which has a cover for the compartment which serves as a part of the top of he table when in closed position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which has novel means for retaining and releasing the cover.

A further object of my invention is to pro- 2 vide a device of the type described which has novel means for automatically opening the cover when released.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel 25 features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication, in which 30 Figure 1 is a side elevation of my table,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the top1 of the table illustrating my invention, an

Figure 3 is a fragmentary portion of the top construction illustrating the locking mechanism.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a table having a top 1 and side walls 2 disposed around and secured to the top 1. Legs 3 are pivotally secured to the side walls 2 and are held in open positions by means of collapsible braces 4.

An opening 5 is provided in the top 1 at any desired position. A receptacle 6 is secured to the lower or inner surface of the too 1 and has its open end positioned adjacent the opening 5. A cover 7 is provided for the opening 5 and is hingedly secured to the receptacle 6 as at 8. The edge of the cover 7 50 adjacent the hinges 8 has a tapered surface 9 adapted to be moved into engagement with a tapered surface 10 of one wall of the opening 5. A helical spring 11 is disposed in a recess in the rear wall 12 of the receptacle 6 and has one end embedded in the wall, as indicated at 13, and thus held against rotation. The other end, as indicated at 1 1, is in engagement with the cover 7 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The forward end of the cover 7 is provided with a latch-receiving recess 15. A latch 16 is movably carried by the front wall 17 of the receptacle 6 and has a tapered surface 18 at one end thereof. The other end of the latch 16 is provided with a reduced portion which .is receivable in a forked end 19 of a rocking lever 20. The rocking lever has an arcuateshaped portion 21 which is heldagainst the front wall 17 by means of a screw 22.

The other end of the rocking lever 20 is loosely but operatively connected to one end of an actuating rod 23. The other end of the actuating rod 23 is secured to a push button 24 which is disposed in a housing 25. A resilient spring 26 having a plurality of leg portions is disposed between the push button 24 and the wall of the housing 25 for normally holding the push button and its operative parts in their normal position.

From the foregoing description of the va' rious parts of the device, the operation there of may be readily understood. Let us assume that the table is in open position ready for use and that the receptacle 6 contains numerous articles to be used in a card game. Access may be gained to the receptacle by pressing the push button 24. The pushing of the push button 24 will actuate the rocking lever 20 and draw the latch 16 out of the recess 15. lVhcn the latch is removed from the recess, the cover 7 is then free to be swung about its hinges 8 by means of the spring 11. The contents of the receptacle 6 may then be removed therefrom. The cover 7 may then be moved into its closed position and firmly held in place by the latch 16. The upper surface of the cover '7 is flush with the upper surface of the top 1 and the tapering of the surfaces 9 and 10 permits the ready movement ofthe' cover 7 into open position without forming any obstruct-ivei'ecesses in the top when the cover is in closed position.

I claim: 1. A table of the type described comprising a a top having an opening therein, a receptacle? secured tosaid top adjacent said openinggta' cover for said receptacle disposed in said opening and pivotally secured to said recep tacle, a latch for holding said cover in closed position, a rocking lever carried by said receptacie and operatively connected to said latch, and means for actuating said rocking lever for moving said latch out of engagement with said cover. 2. A table of the type described comprising a top having an opening therein, a receptacle secured to said top adjacent said opening, a cover for said receptacle disposed in said opening and pivotally secured to said recep tacle, a latch for holding said cover in closed position, a rocking lever carried by said receptacle and operatively connected-to said latch, means for actuating said rocking lever for moving said latch out of engagement with said cover, and spring means for swinging said cover about its pivot when said-cover is released. e

8. In a table construction, a top having an opening therein and a cover for closing the '30 same,a receptacle positioned underneath the top and in alignment withsaid opening, side walls associated with said top, latch means for engaging a portion of the cover for holding the same in its closed position, means opcratively connected with said latch means and projecting through an opening in oneof the side walls whereby said latch means may be moved out of engagement with the cover for releasing the same, a cup disposedwithin 40 said opening, and means disposed thereinand engaging a portion of the means projecting through said opening for normally holding the latch in engagement with the cover.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook,

and State of Illinois this 13th day of September, A. D. 1928.-

JOSEPH E. WOOD. 

